US5996924A - Belt retractor for a vehicular occupant restraint system - Google Patents

Belt retractor for a vehicular occupant restraint system Download PDF

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Publication number
US5996924A
US5996924A US09/106,642 US10664298A US5996924A US 5996924 A US5996924 A US 5996924A US 10664298 A US10664298 A US 10664298A US 5996924 A US5996924 A US 5996924A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
guide pin
stud
belt retractor
connecting projection
load
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Fee Related
Application number
US09/106,642
Inventor
Hermann Griech
Alberto Margalef
Klaus Schiele
Hermann-Karl Weller
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH
Original Assignee
TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH filed Critical TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH
Assigned to TRW OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEMS GMBH & CO. KG reassignment TRW OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEMS GMBH & CO. KG ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: GRIECH, HERMANN, MARFALEF, ALBERTO, SCHIELE, KLAUS, WELLER, HERMANN-KARL
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Publication of US5996924A publication Critical patent/US5996924A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Fee Related legal-status Critical Current

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    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60R—VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B60R22/00—Safety belts or body harnesses in vehicles
    • B60R22/34—Belt retractors, e.g. reels
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60R—VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B60R22/00—Safety belts or body harnesses in vehicles
    • B60R22/18—Anchoring devices
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
    • F16B—DEVICES FOR FASTENING OR SECURING CONSTRUCTIONAL ELEMENTS OR MACHINE PARTS TOGETHER, e.g. NAILS, BOLTS, CIRCLIPS, CLAMPS, CLIPS OR WEDGES; JOINTS OR JOINTING
    • F16B35/00—Screw-bolts; Stay-bolts; Screw-threaded studs; Screws; Set screws
    • F16B35/04—Screw-bolts; Stay-bolts; Screw-threaded studs; Screws; Set screws with specially-shaped head or shaft in order to fix the bolt on or in an object
    • F16B35/041—Specially-shaped shafts
    • F16B35/044—Specially-shaped ends

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a belt retractor for a vehicular occupant restraint system.
  • Conventional belt retractors for a vehicular occupant restraint system include a load-bearing frame and a stud for securing the belt retractor to a vehicle.
  • the invention provides a belt retractor for a vehicular occupant restraint system, having a load-bearing frame and a stud for securing the belt retractor to a vehicle.
  • the stud has a free end facing away from the frame, this free end being provided with a connecting projection.
  • the connecting projection is provided with a guide pin for a nut adapted to be screwed on the stud.
  • the guide pin is thus configured as a part separate from the stud so that a suitable material can be used, preferably plastic material. This results in a considerable weight saving although the strength needed for guiding the nut is assured.
  • the connecting projection features a male thread and the guide pin a mating female thread to fix the guide pin on the connecting projection.
  • the guide pin can be screwed onto the connecting projection and removed therefrom which is particularly of advantage in case a guide pin already screwed on is damaged during transport prior to being fitted.
  • the guide pin features a load-relief space adjoining the bottom of the female thread.
  • this load-relief space diminishes the notch effect at the bottom of the female thread as a result of which the resistance of the guide pin to fracture is increased.
  • FIG. 1 is a schematic partly sectioned side view of a belt retractor in accordance with the invention
  • FIG. 2 is a partial view of the belt retractor as shown in FIG. 1 with an enlarged scale
  • FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the guide pin as shown in FIG. 1.
  • FIG. 1 illustrates a belt retractor 10 in accordance with the invention in a schematic side view. Apart from the usual functional parts, it features a load-bearing frame 12 provided with a stud 14. This stud serves to secure the belt retractor 10 to the vehicle and is provided with a male thread 16 onto which a nut can be screwed. At its end facing away from the load-bearing frame 12, the stud 14 is provided with a connecting projection 18 (see also FIG. 2) featuring a male thread.
  • the male thread is configured as a breech block thread; however, other types of a thread are possible, too.
  • Screwed onto the male thread on the connecting projection 18 is a guide pin 20 featuring for this purpose a hole having a female thread 22 mating the male thread on the connecting projection 18.
  • a particularly high retaining force materializes.
  • a load-relief space 24 is provided at the bottom of the hole formed by the female thread 22 which diminishes the notch effect at the transition from the female thread 22 to the body of the pin 20.
  • the free end 26 of the guide pin 20 facing away from the frame 12 is provided with a cross-shaped cross-section which facilitates screwing the guide pin 20 onto the connecting projection 18.
  • the connecting projection may be provided with grooves instead of the male thread, these grooves engaging mating noses provided in the interior of the guide pin 20.
  • the grooves could also be configured in the interior of the guide pin whilst the noses are provided on the connecting projection.
  • the guide pin 20 is made of plastic material thus resulting in a particularly low weight for the guide pin 20 whilst simultaneously assuring adequate strength for guiding the nut to be screwed onto the male thread 16.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Automotive Seat Belt Assembly (AREA)

Abstract

A belt retractor for a vehicular occupant restraint system has a load-bearing frame and a stud for securing the belt retractor to a vehicle. The stud has a free end facing away from the frame, this free end being provided with a connecting projection. The connecting projection is provided with a guide pin for a nut adapted to be screwed on the stud.

Description

The invention relates to a belt retractor for a vehicular occupant restraint system.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Conventional belt retractors for a vehicular occupant restraint system include a load-bearing frame and a stud for securing the belt retractor to a vehicle.
If such a belt retractor needs to be fitted at a location of the vehicle at which the stud for securing the belt retractor is difficult to access, it is expedient to make the stud longer to have a guide for the nut to significantly simplify screwing it onto the stud. However, making the stud longer results in a considerable increase in weight.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The invention provides a belt retractor for a vehicular occupant restraint system, having a load-bearing frame and a stud for securing the belt retractor to a vehicle. The stud has a free end facing away from the frame, this free end being provided with a connecting projection. The connecting projection is provided with a guide pin for a nut adapted to be screwed on the stud. The guide pin is thus configured as a part separate from the stud so that a suitable material can be used, preferably plastic material. This results in a considerable weight saving although the strength needed for guiding the nut is assured.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention it is provided for that the connecting projection features a male thread and the guide pin a mating female thread to fix the guide pin on the connecting projection. Thus the guide pin can be screwed onto the connecting projection and removed therefrom which is particularly of advantage in case a guide pin already screwed on is damaged during transport prior to being fitted.
In accordance with the preferred embodiment it is further provided for that the guide pin features a load-relief space adjoining the bottom of the female thread. In the same way as a relief groove or load-relief notch this load-relief space diminishes the notch effect at the bottom of the female thread as a result of which the resistance of the guide pin to fracture is increased.
Special aspects of the invention read from the sub-claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention will now be described with reference to a preferred embodiment illustrated in the attached drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a schematic partly sectioned side view of a belt retractor in accordance with the invention;
FIG. 2 is a partial view of the belt retractor as shown in FIG. 1 with an enlarged scale; and
FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the guide pin as shown in FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 illustrates a belt retractor 10 in accordance with the invention in a schematic side view. Apart from the usual functional parts, it features a load-bearing frame 12 provided with a stud 14. This stud serves to secure the belt retractor 10 to the vehicle and is provided with a male thread 16 onto which a nut can be screwed. At its end facing away from the load-bearing frame 12, the stud 14 is provided with a connecting projection 18 (see also FIG. 2) featuring a male thread. In the embodiment illustrated the male thread is configured as a breech block thread; however, other types of a thread are possible, too. Screwed onto the male thread on the connecting projection 18 is a guide pin 20 featuring for this purpose a hole having a female thread 22 mating the male thread on the connecting projection 18. By employing a breech block thread for the male thread on the connecting projection 18 and for the female thread 22 on the guide pin 20, a particularly high retaining force materializes. Provided at the bottom of the hole formed by the female thread 22 is a load-relief space 24 which diminishes the notch effect at the transition from the female thread 22 to the body of the pin 20.
As apparent from FIG. 3, the free end 26 of the guide pin 20 facing away from the frame 12 is provided with a cross-shaped cross-section which facilitates screwing the guide pin 20 onto the connecting projection 18.
In accordance with a variant (not shown), the connecting projection may be provided with grooves instead of the male thread, these grooves engaging mating noses provided in the interior of the guide pin 20. As an alternative, the grooves could also be configured in the interior of the guide pin whilst the noses are provided on the connecting projection. However, once the guide pin 20 in this variant has been mounted on the connecting projection 18, it can no longer be released therefrom.
The guide pin 20 is made of plastic material thus resulting in a particularly low weight for the guide pin 20 whilst simultaneously assuring adequate strength for guiding the nut to be screwed onto the male thread 16.

Claims (7)

We claim:
1. A belt retractor for a vehicular occupant restraint system, having a load-bearing frame and a stud for securing said belt retractor to a vehicle, said stud having a free end facing away from said frame, said end being provided with a connecting projection, said connecting projection being provided with a guide pin for a nut adapted to be screwed on said stud, said guide pin being made of plastic material.
2. The belt retractor of claim 1, wherein said guide pin has a front end facing away from said stud, at least said front end having a cross-shaped cross-section.
3. A belt retractor for a vehicular occupant restraint system, having a load-bearing frame and a stud for securing said belt retractor to a vehicle, said stud having a free end facing away from said frame, said end being provided with a connecting projection, said connecting projection being provided with a guide pin for a nut adapted to be screwed on said stud, said connecting projection being provided with grooves and said guide pin being provided with complementary noses engaging said grooves and fixing said guide pin on said connecting projection.
4. The belt retractor of claim 3, wherein said guide pin is made of plastic material.
5. A belt retractor for a vehicular occupant restraint system, having a load-bearing frame and a stud for securing said belt retractor to a vehicle, said stud having a free end facing away from said frame, said end being provided with a connecting projection, said connecting projection being provided with a guide pin for a nut adapted to be screwed on said stud, said connecting projection being provided with a male thread and said guide pin being provided with a complementary female thread for fixing said guide pin on said connecting projection.
6. The belt retractor of claim 5, wherein said male thread on said connecting projection is a breech block thread.
7. The belt retractor of claim 5, wherein said guide pin features a load-relief space adjoining a bottom of said female thread.
US09/106,642 1997-07-01 1998-06-29 Belt retractor for a vehicular occupant restraint system Expired - Fee Related US5996924A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE29711457U DE29711457U1 (en) 1997-07-01 1997-07-01 Belt tensioners for a vehicle occupant restraint system
DE29711457U 1997-07-01

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US5996924A true US5996924A (en) 1999-12-07

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Family Applications (1)

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US09/106,642 Expired - Fee Related US5996924A (en) 1997-07-01 1998-06-29 Belt retractor for a vehicular occupant restraint system

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US (1) US5996924A (en)
DE (2) DE29711457U1 (en)

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4600343A (en) * 1983-05-20 1986-07-15 Simmonds S.A. Bolt and assembly using such a bolt
US4637764A (en) * 1982-03-24 1987-01-20 Nissan Motor Company, Limited Bolt adapted for one-handed tightening by tightening tool
US5609454A (en) * 1995-01-18 1997-03-11 Lee; Wen-Yuan Driving assembly for driving opposed members to move toward and away from each other
US5845861A (en) * 1996-07-15 1998-12-08 Trw Occupant Restraint Systems Gmbh Belt retractor for a vehicle occupant restraining system

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4637764A (en) * 1982-03-24 1987-01-20 Nissan Motor Company, Limited Bolt adapted for one-handed tightening by tightening tool
US4600343A (en) * 1983-05-20 1986-07-15 Simmonds S.A. Bolt and assembly using such a bolt
US5609454A (en) * 1995-01-18 1997-03-11 Lee; Wen-Yuan Driving assembly for driving opposed members to move toward and away from each other
US5845861A (en) * 1996-07-15 1998-12-08 Trw Occupant Restraint Systems Gmbh Belt retractor for a vehicle occupant restraining system

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE29711457U1 (en) 1997-10-30
DE19829454A1 (en) 1999-01-07

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Date Code Title Description
AS Assignment

Owner name: TRW OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEMS GMBH & CO. KG, GERM

Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:GRIECH, HERMANN;MARFALEF, ALBERTO;SCHIELE, KLAUS;AND OTHERS;REEL/FRAME:009286/0922

Effective date: 19980618

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Free format text: PAYOR NUMBER ASSIGNED (ORIGINAL EVENT CODE: ASPN); ENTITY STATUS OF PATENT OWNER: LARGE ENTITY

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Year of fee payment: 4

REMI Maintenance fee reminder mailed
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LAPS Lapse for failure to pay maintenance fees
STCH Information on status: patent discontinuation

Free format text: PATENT EXPIRED DUE TO NONPAYMENT OF MAINTENANCE FEES UNDER 37 CFR 1.362

FP Lapsed due to failure to pay maintenance fee

Effective date: 20071207